A private plane crash at Wolfe Air Park in Manvel, Texas, claimed the life of Patricia Hilliard Robertson on May 24, 2001. A NASA astronaut and physician, she was 38 years old at the time of her death. She had been providing flight instruction during the accident, which occurred two days prior to her passing from resulting burn injuries.
Medical Background
Born in 1963, Robertson graduated from Homer-Center High School in 1980. She obtained a Bachelor of Science in biology from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1985, followed by a medical degree from the Medical College of Pennsylvania in 1989. After finishing her family medicine residency in 1992, she practiced at the Elk Valley Medical Center and served on the staff of Saint Vincent Medical Center in Erie, Pennsylvania, where she supervised medical residents.
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In 1995, Robertson began a fellowship in space medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch and the NASA Johnson Space Center. Her research focused on resistive exercise countermeasures for space flight. She joined the Johnson Space Center Flight Medicine Clinic in 1997, providing clinical care for astronauts and acting as Chairman of the Bone, Muscle, and Exercise Integrated Product Team.
NASA Service
NASA selected Robertson as an astronaut candidate in June 1998. Her training encompassed International Space Station and Shuttle systems, physiological preparation, and wilderness survival. Following training, she served as the representative for the Crew Healthcare System and acted as a Crew Support Astronaut for the ISS Expedition 2 mission, facilitating communication between the astronaut crew and the Mission Control Center.
Aviation Interests
Beyond her professional duties, Robertson was a multiengine rated flight instructor and an active aerobatic pilot. She held memberships in the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, the Experimental Aircraft Association, and the International Aerobatic Club. By the time of her death, she had logged more than 1,500 flight hours.
Fast facts
- Born: 1963, Indiana
- Died: 2001, Manvel
- Citizenship: United States
- Education: Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University
- Profession: Astronaut, Physician
- Buried: Greenwood Cemetery
- Flight Hours: Over 1,500
Questions readers ask
What was Robertson's specific role at NASA before her death?
She was a crew support astronaut for the ISS Expedition 2 crew, acting as a liaison between the flight control team and the astronauts.
How is Robertson remembered today?
The Patricia Hilliard Robertson Center for Aviation Medicine at the Indiana Regional Medical Center is named in her honor, and the Northrop Grumman Cygnus spacecraft S.S. Patricia Hilliard Robertson was launched in 2024.
Achievements
- Affiliated with National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Educated at Drexel University, Indiana University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University College of Medicine
- Worked as astronaut and physician
